HELP I need potty training advice!

Sarah - posted on 07/31/2010

I have to add, I am a little disappointed in some of these responses. There seems to be some who put little thought into the way the mind of a young child should be treated. Think about how you would want someone to potty train you if you lost the ability....children deserve courtesy too...it cannot just be the dictator's way all the time. Where is the respect for the child when you are forcing them to do anything before they are ready? If I was in a tragic accident and had to be retaught how to live my life with all my bodily functions...I would want my teachers to be kind and respectful...not forceful. Please consider children as "tiny adults with less experience, and probably way more love" ............

Linda - posted on 07/26/2010

My son is alrady showing signs of wanting to use the big boy potty seat. He will tell you he has to go but by the time I get the diaper off its too late. I have been working with him along with my husband he take him in the bathroom sometimes and shows him how a big boy goes but he would rather flush the tolite. laffin so I say just owrk with her a little and you will be fine.

Jill - posted on 07/26/2010

They usually go when they are ready. My little guy is 3 years and 3 months and is still working on it. He is finally in underwear is is doing really well with some accidents. He loves it when I tell him that he has made me proud of him by going on the potty. He says "I am going to make you so proud of me mommy" Keep with the positive reinforcement. Limit the negative.

Sara - posted on 07/25/2010

if a child knows where you go pee and poop at then they are mentally ready to use the toilet. if they will not use it then its just plain laziness or stubbornness on their part and you should remind them how much fun it is to be a big kid and not a baby..

Lori - posted on 07/25/2010

Hey you have to do what you have to do. Waiting on the kids to decide if they want to potty or not will keep them in diapers for a long time.

PARRISH - posted on 07/25/2010

I TRAIN AUTUMN AT THE AGE OF ONE AND A HALF. THIS MIGHT SOUND HARSH BUT IT WORKED. I WENT OUT A BROUGHT THE RUBBER UNDER WEAR THAT GOES ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL COTTON UNDERWEAR FOR HER TO WEAR IN PUBLIC BUT WHEN WE WERE I THE HOUSE AND SHE WENT IN HER CLOTHES I WOULD TURN ON THE FAN AND LET HER BUTT GET COLD AND SHE STOPPED GOIN IN HER CLOTHES BECAUSE SHE DIDNT LIKE GOING FROM WARM TO COLD AND SHE WANTED THE CLOTHES OFF.

Karla - posted on 07/25/2010

i have a 2 year and 4 month old daughter and i decided it was time to potty train at 2 and ever since she only wears panties. we made a huge deal out of what kinda panties to buy she picked them out. i would only take her every 2 hours unless she told me that she needed to go...she peeed all over the place for the first week or so until she realized she didnt like being wet...GOOD LUCK!!!

Charlene - posted on 07/25/2010

Be patient. She's sill young. At least she's acting interested. My son took 8-months, and I read that's the average training time. Good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 07/25/2010

We have that potty and my son just learned how to take it apart and make it play the music with out having to sit and pee in it. LOL. He is too smart for his own good.

Sue - posted on 07/25/2010

i would also say she is not ready, we are in the process of training our little girl who was 32 months when we started, got the hang of it really quickly. left her in pants at home and pull ups for when we went out but called them her special pants she treated them the same as normal pants, was accident free after 1 week but still has the odd accident now. lots of praise when she finally does go is good and to let her see you in the bathroom go on the toilet. she now claps and calls me a good girl when i go!

Sharon - posted on 07/25/2010

My son showed signs of being ready at about 18 months. Ran out to buy little potties, 3 in all and nothing. At about 2 1/2 we started wearing underwear during the day, it helped alittle bit--he wanted to change as soon as he went vs staying wet with the pull-ups. So it helped me get somewhat ofa schedule. As he was about to turn 3 he started making 'yellows' in the little potty. But #2, not sooo much. It took about a 2 1/2 weeks before he started going #2 (only in the big potty). To be honest I would give him 2-3 pops on his leg (with my hand) when he pooped in his underwear. Didn't really hurt him, I think he was more upset for dissappointing me then being hurt. By 3 yrs 1 mon--he was potting 1 and 2 by himself. Now we have a little urinal that hangs from the big potty, so he can stand like a big boy w/o step stool and he loves it. He makes 'yellows' every 30 mins or so now--even if it' 2 drops. We never did rewards, just BIG HUGS AND KISSES for being mommy's big boy and that was all he needed. HUGS, KISSES and patience--she will surprise you. He turned 3 last month and no more pull-ups--not even at night. Good Luck

Sarah - posted on 07/24/2010

She is not ready. Stop everything. Let her join you in the restroom when you go, she needs to see what is expected. Allow her curiosity to create a need for independence. She will want to be like mommy. No rewards!!! When you see she is curious, ask her if she wants to sit on the pot. When she says yes....lots of praise!! EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T PEE, SHE HAS MET A MILESTONE!! So, let her sit as often as she wants. Only praise her the first time she sits. Then when she finally does pee....LOTS AND LOTS of praise again!!!! And for a few more times after that. Her natural curiosity and need for independence should be your guide! When she starts going, put her in undies any time you are home and can send her to the potty when she does the "potty dance"...(when you observe her squirming, and squeezing her legs together.) Put her on the potty lots and lots so she feels successful. Never ever make her feel bad for having an accident. You must look at it the same as learning to ride a bike, eat with a spoon, talk, walk...etc...she needs practice, and mistakes are how we learn!! She won't like the feeling and she will learn. Be patient...it won't happen over nite! It won't happen in a week, or month. But it will happen in her time as she is ready. If you push it will take longer! Good luck!

Andrea - posted on 07/24/2010

Chech out this website, it may help:
http://www.3daypottytraining.com/

Lea - posted on 07/24/2010

Hmmm I think i remember a bunch of people on a similar post saying at some point like age 4 if their kids wasnt potty trained yet they made their kid clean up their own mess. But your daughter still has time yet to learn. Sounds like stubbornness or being pee shy. There is a potty that plays music when they go pee.

Christie - posted on 07/24/2010

we did the naked potty training and it worked great... the kids were able to actually see and feel what was happening. Our oldest was trained this way in a few days.... our twins took a bit longer and with the ease of our first, I was getting a bit frustrated. We put them in undies, not pull ups when we went out and that also helped. Good Luck!

Lori - posted on 07/23/2010

How old was your son when you did this?

Stacey - posted on 07/23/2010

One more thing, I bought a potty video with a little girl named prudence in it. I played that video all day for a week and she loved watching it. I thought it was a cute little video, although it does get to be a bit much watching it for days and days!!

Stacey - posted on 07/23/2010

Oh and when they do go on the potty jump up and down and make the biggest deal of how great it was for her to go on the potty. I also gave my daughter one m & m or tootsie roll. Pretty much whatever candy she likes give her one piece for pee and three for poop. Thats what I did anyways.

Stacey - posted on 07/23/2010

I did the 3 day potty training with my daugther. Have her go bottomless for 3 days, give her fluids, you have to sit there with her and really watch her, when you see her start to pee put her right on the potty. The first day was not that great, but the other two days went pretty well and she has been potty trained ever since. My daughter has been trained since 27 months and she is now 37 months.

Kimberly - posted on 07/23/2010

My mom waited until I wanted to use the toilet. I think I was about 3. She didn't have to "train" me either. I am going to do the same with my daughter. I'd rather change diapers then clean up pee off the floor or carpet!

Chantell - posted on 07/23/2010

Nancy they actually say girls are easier because they are more developed mentally than boys at the same age girls are on average 3 to 4 months ahead of boys on mile stones such as this and many others such as walking crawling ect...

Chantell - posted on 07/23/2010

I tried the stickers and rewards too they never worked for me. I came across this e-mail and it was something like 5 days to potty train your child. I read it and it said to just simply put them in underwear load them with liquid all day and keep asking them if they have to go potty. I did this and for the first 1.5 days she went through eighty pairs of underware lots of laundry but way worth it by the third day of doing this she had decided she didn't like the feel of pee running down her leg and that she would start using the potty. My daughter at the time had just turned two she is now 3 years and 4 months old she has been potty trained from that 3rd day. so my advice is yes it is no fun it's extra laundry but put her in underwear load her with water and start asking her every 30 mins if she has to go potty and when she does praise her like crazy. and if she doesnt let it roll off your shoulders getting mad at them will only make the process go backwards. Hope it all works out for you good luck. I am getting ready to start my littlest in aug.

Alexis - posted on 07/23/2010

What I did that helped my 2year old was took her in the bathroom with me and let her see me go potty, and right before I would release my pee I would say shhhhh listen... and then pee and then clap and get all excited that I went potty in the toilet, then when I flushed I would say bye potty and wave.... sounds stupid I know but it worked like wonders:) Just make sure u show how excited u are when u hear the pee go into the toilet after a bit she will want to do the same:) good luck

Mary - posted on 07/23/2010

shes not ready when she is she will let u know casuse thats what they tell me to do with my daughter adn my 2 boys just woke up one day went to the bathroom so i just wanting for her to do that i hope its soon but they say girls are more hader then boys to potty train

Melissa - posted on 07/23/2010

When I started training my daughter I used a toddler potty and kept it in which ever room we were in- that was until I knew she could make it to the bathroom in time. I also keep her in sundress without any bottoms on when we are home- we did have accidents in the beginning but that is expected. I used training-underware (pull-ups) during nap & bedtimes only or if we were going somewhere- otherwise she spends the day at home bottomless. It seemed to really help. I also purchased the potty that sits on top of ours- it helps her transition into the big potty and it is great for travel! My daughter will be three in November and she is doing great but we still have accidents on occasions! I did use rewards but once she got the hang of peeing in the potty the rewards were then only for pooping. It takes time. We had a difficult time in the beginning that was until I started keeping her bottomless and reminding her to go every 15-20 minutes…they get so excited that they are using the potty they forget to relieve their little bladders all the way. Good Luck!

Lisa - posted on 07/23/2010

If you don't mind the mess for a while, let her run around naked for a day or two. It worked for my son. Also going "commando" under the pants seemed to do the trick...all it took was to be wet once and he hated it. Good luck! (it's one of the toughest things to teach...lots of patience required!)

Lee - posted on 07/23/2010

Good luck! This is a process that takes time and patience. Are you sure that she is physically ready? Have a look at this for some advice: http://parentingcenter.co.za/2009/01/26/...
Let me know if you find the article helpful!

Lee xxx

Amber - posted on 07/22/2010

When I potty trained my son. I brought his little potty chair into his playroom with us and we just hung out in their all day. That way if he started to pee on the floor I could hurry and put him on the potty. I took a few days of that and then we moved the potty into the bathroom. If you keep it in the bathroom it is a little far to run if you have a potty emergency. He does great now running to the potty.

Michelle - posted on 07/22/2010

what bout getting her a doll that pees.. like show her look dolling is peeing and maybe shell do it i have boy .. but i heard it works,,,,

Brittany - posted on 07/22/2010

Be consistent and vigilant. Maybe lessen the amount of time between trips to the potty. My son is 2 and a half and has successfully potty trained. Boys are harder to train but I tried to make going to the potty fun and made a big deal everytime. I would get really excited, high fives and praising. I would race him to the potty of course giving him a head start. If I knew he had go but wouldn't I would wait 10 minutes or so in the bathroom and try again. Also this maybe alittle unorthodox but the one time he pooped on the floor I made him clean it up himself and he never did it again. I think the biggest part of potty training is a battle of the wills. She wants control over when and where she goes so I guess you have to out- smart her and figure out what will work for her. Good luck I know how frustrating it is to constantly have to clean up the yucky stuff.

Amy - posted on 07/22/2010

Take her with you every time you need to use the bathroom. Have her just sit on her potty while you go and if she goes reward her. That's what did it for my kids.

Jenny - posted on 07/22/2010

i introduced the potty to Sofia my daughter just before her 2nd birthday...and then she went through a really good patch of using it and then stopped and i was unable to get her to use her potty for nearly a month after doing everything and then i had a brain wave to put pants on over her nappy everyday like when we went out or just around the house and now shes going potty for a no1 and no2 which is really good :D as she believes that she has pants on i also ask her if she needs to go every 15 mins and every hour i talk to her and remind her she has pants on and she needs to tell mummy or daddy if she needs to go potty :D x

Lisa - posted on 07/21/2010

my daughter was the say way as soon as i gave up she just went one day . she was 3 when she finally got potty trained

Denise - posted on 07/21/2010

My daughter didn't want anything to do with the potty then one day she just started going on her own. We praised her often and she's been really good only a couple of accidents. She refused to poop on the potty for about 6 months then boom she just did it and has been doing it ever since. they say they'll do it when they are ready is really true.

Tara - posted on 07/21/2010

My daughter is 3 and half and I too am at my wits end on this whole potty thing. She's been potty broke on #1 for a while, but #2 is impossible! She'll say she needs to and run to the potty then come back in a minute and tell me she didn't need to then she runs and hides in her room and does it in her panties! If I force her to sit on the potty she throws a huge tantrum and still won't go until I allow her to get up. Have tried bribery, sticker charts, candy...EVERYTHING! She likes it for the first time and after that doesn't care. Any more suggestions anyone?

Brandi - posted on 07/21/2010

does she have a potty chair or a seat that goes on a big potty? we had both for my son and let him choose what he wanted to use. i also let him run around the house naked or in just a pair of underwear and he went when he had to go. it took about a week before he would let us know, but he did it all on his own in secret...

Sara - posted on 07/20/2010

bribery! worked for mine :) shes the same age as your daughter, i knew she understood the whole peeing and pooping on the potty and that she was just too lazy to do so. during the day i would put her in underwear and i told her if she didnt have an accident in them for 3 days in a row she could have a goldfish, worked like a charm, since i told her that she has had no accidents at all :)

Heather - posted on 07/20/2010

Honestly its up to your kid, mine started showing and interest just after 18 month, he was doing really well until one day he just reverted. He is 2 now and fully potty trained. Lots of cool undies, books on potty training and videos (potty dance from Pampers), and lots of love and patience when he had an accident, and don't give up.

Melissa - posted on 07/20/2010

My son is 2 1/2, he tells me when he has to pee or poop but refuses to go on the potty! To the point where he screams and cries if I put him on it....so frustrating! Trying to be patient about it, don't know what I can do to get him to be comfortable sitting ont he potty, let alone go on it!

Jessica - posted on 07/20/2010

I had issues with my son. He was almost 4 by the time we got him potty trained. If she understands where she is supposed to go than it's just pure laziness on her part of not wanting to stop what she's doing to go. I took something away from my son for 15 minutes every time he peed his pants. After I started to do that he was potty trained within a week.

Crystle - posted on 07/20/2010

My daughter was 11 months old the first time she went pee on the potty and that same day she went number 2 on the potty, ever since then she has done great. Although there are times when she has an accident she does pretty good, she's going to be 2 next month. What I did was, go buy a potty and let her play with it for the first day, that night I put it in the bathroom and the next morning when she got up I asked her if she had to go potty and sat her on her little toilet. As she was going potty I also sat on the big toilet. The very first time she sat on the potty she went, I never gave her a reward or anything like that because after a while they start expecting a reward for going potty and that is not possible all the time. I told her good girl and we would clap for her and dance around. I did not force her to go on the potty, she wanted to do it, I think it was because I would take her in the bathroom with me when I went so she could see what I was doing.

Katie - posted on 07/20/2010

That is exactly what mine did for like 6 months on and off and I never pushed it since she was so young then one day she told me she had to go and actually went. I would also ask her do you have to go potty and she yes and runs to it and strips down and goes

Jacquelyn - posted on 07/20/2010

She will tell you "I go potty" and run and sit on the potty but then she wont go, then when she gets off the potty she pees on the floor.

Katie - posted on 07/20/2010

I started potty training my daughter that is just over 2, she is the one that initiated it and for the last week and a half was going really well on the potty but was with my in laws over the weekend and now won't tell me anymore that she has to go. I'm afraid she wont go anymore or wont for a while again

Nancy - posted on 07/20/2010

She may not be ready to use the potty yet. Does she seem interested or scared? Don't push too hard, she'll learn when she's ready.